The Medical Services Plan (MSP) is the provincial government program that covers medically required services provided by physicians and supplementary health care practitioners, laboratory services and diagnostic procedures. In the fall, the BC Ministry of Health announced an updated calculation of MSP rates.

Reminder: There are no MSP premiums charged for dependent children (under the age of 19 or between the ages of 19-25 if they are considered a full-time student).

MSP Rates

2017 Monthly Premiums

Monthly Premiums Effective Jan. 1, 2018

One Adult

$75.00

$37.50

Two Adults

$150.00

$75.00

If you are enrolled under the UBC Group MSP plan:

Employees who pay all or a portion of their MSP premiums (i.e. 100% or 75% of the premium) will pay less than they do now.

If you are part of an employment group that does not pay MSP premiums (BCGEU Childcare, CUPE 116, CUPE 2950, BCGEU Okanagan, Executive Administrative and IUOE 882), this rate change will not impact you.

View the Eligibility & Costs page for your employment group to see the MSP monthly premium cost effective Jan. 1, 2018. The cost is broken down to show what you pay and what UBC pays (if applicable).

The change in premium or portion of premium that you pay (if applicable) will appear on your Dec. 31, 2017 pay statement (premiums are taken one month in advance). You can view your pay statement online via the UBC Faculty and Staff Self-Service website (VPN is necessary to access Self-Service off campus).

Eligibility for Reduced Premiums

Health Insurance BC provides financial assistance (full or partial subsidy) for families who have filed their taxes and have an adjusted net income of $42,000 or less. For more information, please visit the Premium Assistance section of our MSP page.

Extended Health Deadline

Any outstanding Extended Health claims with service/purchase dates between Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2016, must be received by Sun Life no later than Dec. 31, 2017 for reimbursement consideration. To learn how to submit claims, please visit our Claims page.

Dental Claims Deadline

To be considered for reimbursement, Dental claims must be received by Sun Life no later than one year from the date of service. For example, a dental claim dated Feb. 18, 2017 must be received by Sun Life no later than Feb. 17, 2018.

Health Spending Account Claims Deadline and 2018 Credits

Note: The following information is for Management & Professional, IUOE 882 members and CUPE 2950 members only.

Claims Deadline

Any unpaid Extended Health and/or Dental Care claims incurred between Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2017 that you would like reimbursed from your Health Spending Account (HSA) must be received by Sun Life no later than 90 days after Dec. 31, 2017 (Mar. 31, 2018). After Mar. 31, 2018, any 2017 claims for Extended Health and/or Dental will no longer be eligible for submission. Please note that the deadline for submitting HSA claims is different from the deadline for submitting claims under the Extended Health plan for reimbursement.

2018 Health Spending Account Credits

Any unused HSA credits from Jan. 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2017 will be carried forward and must be used in the 2018 calendar year. Any unused credits from 2016 will expire after Dec. 31, 2017.

On Jan. 1, 2018, you will receive your new annual HSA credit of $325. Your new credit will be updated on the Sun Life Plan Member website by Jan. 5, 2018.

Your HSA annual credit will reduce from $325 to $200 on Jan. 1, 2019 and each subsequent year thereafter. For more information, please refer to an earlier memo on this topic.

IUOE 882

Any unused HSA credits from Jan. 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2017 will be carried forward and must be used in the 2018 calendar year. Any unused credits from 2016 will expire after Dec. 31, 2017.

On Jan. 1, 2018, you will receive your new annual HSA credit of $1,100 (previously, you received a $400 annual credit). Your new credit will be updated on the Sun Life Plan Member website by Jan. 5, 2018.

Your HSA annual credit will reduce from $1,100 to $1,000 on Jan. 1, 2022 and each subsequent year thereafter.

IUOE 882 members who are enrolled for Extended Health will receive a personalized email about this change.

CUPE 2950

Any unused HSA credits from Jan. 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2017 will be carried forward and must be used in the 2018 calendar year. Any unused credits from 2016 will expire after Dec. 31, 2017.

On Jan. 1, 2018, you will receive your new annual HSA credit of $125. Your new credit will be updated on the Sun Life Plan Member website by Jan. 5, 2018.

Those who are enrolled in UBC Optional Life (Employee and/or Spouse) received a personalized email about the rate change on Dec. 1st.

What’s my current Optional Life coverage?

You can view your current coverage online by logging into the UBC Faculty and Staff Self-Service website with your CWL login and clicking on ‘Benefits Summary’. (Note: You will need VPN if you are accessing Self-Service from off-campus.)

I want to reduce or cancel my coverage. How do I do this?

Complete the change form to reduce or cancel your current coverage and submit the form to UBC Payroll for processing.

I want to increase my current coverage or I am applying for Optional Life for the first time. What do I do?

The Optional Life (Employee and Spouse) maximum is $750,000 per individual. If you and/or your spouse are below the maximum and would like to increase your coverage or apply for the first time, please complete an application form and submit the original form to UBC Payroll for processing.

All applications are subject to proof of good health. Once you submit your application to UBC Payroll, you will be emailed a Sun Life Health Statement. Submit the completed statement to Sun Life for review; if approved, you will be advised in writing and your premiums will be paid through payroll deduction.

Where do I send my forms?

Submit your original form to UBC Payroll for processing, either by mail or in-person:

A paramedical practitioner is a healthcare professional who provides health services not covered under our public health insurance plan. (In BC, this is the Medical Services Plan.)

In this article, we list the paramedical practitioners that are covered under UBC’s Extended Health plan which is administered by Sun Life. The required qualifications for each practitioner are listed along with coverage. But first, consider the following scenario:

A UBC Management & Professional employee’s child was referred by their family physician to see a Speech Therapist. What is the coverage?

As long as the Speech Therapist meets the acceptable qualification/designation below (i.e. Certified Speech Language Pathologist, Registered Speech Language Pathologist, Speech Language Pathologist or Masters in Speech Therapy and Audiology) and is registered with the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC, reimbursement will be 80% of the reasonable and customary charge for services (i.e. $125/hour for Speech Therapist), up to the annual maximum of $600/year for all practitioners that are combined with Speech Therapists.

List of Paramedical Practitioners (in alphabetical order):

Acupuncturist

Practitioner: Acupuncturist

Acceptable Qualifications/Designations:

M.D. (Medical Doctor)

D.Ac. (Doctor of Acupuncture)

R.Ac. (Registered Acupuncturist)

DTCM (Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine)

TCMD (Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor)

R.TCM.P. (Registered TCM Practitioner)

R.TCM.H. (Registered TCM Herbalist)

RAP (Registered Acupuncture Practitioner)

RAHP (Registered Acupuncture Health Practitioner)

Regulatory Body: College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners & Acupuncturists of British Columbia

For more information about your coverage, how to make claims and/or how to coordinate benefits (if you are covered under more than one Extended Health plan), please refer to the Extended Health and Making a Claim sections of the UBC HR website or call Sun Life at 1-800-361-6212.

The changes to EI will provide the option to receive reduced parental leave benefits for a longer period of time.

Details of the changes are summarized in the following table:

EI Benefits Prior to December 3, 2017

EI Benefits After December 3, 2017

Maternity Leave

55% of average weekly insurable earnings to a maximum of $543 (2017 maximum).

Employment Insurance maternity benefits are payable after the one week waiting period for 15 weeks.

Benefits may commence 8 weeks prior to the expected date of birth.

55% of average weekly insurable earnings to a maximum of $543 (2017 maximum).

Employment Insurance maternity benefits are payable after the one week waiting period for 15 weeks.

Benefits may commence 12 weeks prior to the expected date of birth.

Parental Leave

55% of average weekly insurable earnings to a maximum of $543 (2017 maximum).

Employment Insurance parental benefits are payable for up to 35 weeks.

Individuals can choose one of the following two options:

55% of average weekly insurable earnings to a maximum of $543 (2017 maximum) for up to 35 weeks.

33% of average weekly insurable earnings to a maximum of $326 (2017 maximum) for up to 61 weeks.

The change to EI parental benefits will provide reduced parental leave benefits for a longer period of time. The dollar value of the EI parental leave benefit will be the same regardless of whether you opt to take the higher benefit (55%) for the shorter period (35 weeks) or the lower benefit (33%) for the longer period (61 weeks).

Given that the BC government has not amended the Employment Standards Act and the maternity/parental leave provisions of the University’s various collective agreements and handbooks still apply, the HR department is currently reviewing these changes and will provide further information in the coming weeks.

UBC’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provides confidential counselling and work-life consultations to eligible UBC faculty, staff and their dependents. EFAP can be accessed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including over the holidays.

As the busy holiday season begins to ramp up with to-do lists and social commitments at work and at home, it can all feel a little overwhelming. Many challenges and complex feelings can come up, but EFAP is here to help. Counselling services include, but are not limited to, issues related to stress, anxiety depression, relationships, parenting, elder care, workplace conflicts, and substance use/addiction. Review Shepell’s services.

You can access immediate support by calling Shepell’s Care Access Centre at 1-800-387-4765.

Prepare for Any Vacation with Shepell’s My EAP Mobile App

You can also prepare for the holidays and get vacation-ready with Shepell’s My EAP mobile device app. Download the My EAP app to gain immediate, confidential and secure access on the go.

Explore Holiday Helper Articles

Here are some holiday-themed articles for you by Shepell that can help you maintain your wellbeing during the holiday season.

Note: Please enter “University of British Columbia” as your organization to access these articles.

The holiday season is a busy time, and often our health and wellbeing drops down on our list of priorities. It’s important to remember that staying active can help elevate our mood, build resilience, cope with stress, and give us energy to enjoy all the season has to offer. To help keep you motivated, we’ve compiled the following tips for staying active during the winter months.

If you have a choice between taking the elevator, escalator or stairs, why not choose the stairs for a quick cardio burst?

Switch up those tunes! Create a new playlist that motivates you to get out and stay active. Lost for ideas? Try asking a friend or colleague for recommendations.

Don’t let your footwear impede you from getting outside. Choose comfortable shoes that have good grip and keep your feet happy. Whether it’s raining, the sun is shining or it’s icy out there, you’ll be more inclined to stay active if you have solid footwear.

Keep your place neat and tidy, and burn some calories in the process. Cleaning your home is a great way to fit in some physical activity without having to go outside.

The holidays can be a strain financially, and joining organized fitness groups often comes with a cost. Did you know that as a member of UBC’s staff and faculty, you are eligible for a variety of on- and off-campus discounts? Check out our Health, Fitness & Family Discounts page to learn more.

Put your smart phone to use. Pick from a variety of free fitness apps and YouTube videos to keep yourself active from the comfort of your own home. Our Apps for Fitness offers some great suggestions.

Thank you for thriving with UBC! Thrive 2017 was a huge success: from October 30 to November 3, over 100 events were hosted across the UBC Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. To see how our campus communities thrived this year, visit the Thrive Instagram, Thrive at UBC Facebook site, or check out the #LetsThriveUBC hashtag.

Thrive Week has come to a close, but positive mental health is something that we can continue to build throughout the year. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, mental health is the capacity of each and all of us to feel, think and act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face. It is this affirming sense of emotional and spiritual wellbeing that respects the importance of culture, equity, social justice and interconnections, and personal dignity.

When your dependent child progresses from high school to post-secondary education, it can be an exciting, overwhelming and confusing time for you and your child.

Deciding on which post-secondary institution to attend can require extensive research, review and comparison and personal reflection on values, interests and career possibilities. It is also important to understand details such as the application process for the institutions that make your list.

UBC staff and faculty who are parents of children thinking of attending UBC are invited to attend a UBC Undergraduate Admissions information session to learn more about UBC’s student application process and timelines.

This session will be led by two UBC Admission Advisors, and you will learn about UBC’s application, personal profile, document requirements and decision timelines. There will also be plenty of time to answer your questions.

Please note that graduate or professional programs (e.g. law, medicine and dentistry) will not be discussed as the focus will be on undergraduate studies.

Note: This session is open to UBC staff and faculty. Spouses of staff and faculty are not eligible to attend unless they are a UBC staff/faculty member.

Tuition Waiver Support

UBC supports the wellbeing of you and your family by providing tuition assistance for eligible courses at UBC. Depending on your employee group and appointment details, your dependent child may be eligible for the Tuition Waiver Benefit.

Tell us about yourself

I was born and raised – and still reside – in East Vancouver. I have completed three degrees (two undergraduate, one graduate) at Simon Fraser University. I have always been extremely passionate about health and wellbeing. I spent the first few years of my professional life as a high school teacher in Vancouver and my teaching experiences really demonstrated to me the critical importance of health and wellbeing in terms of one’s ability to reach their full potential in learning and in life. As a result, I started to pursue other opportunities that combined my interests in education and health promotion.

After obtaining my Masters in Education focused on comprehensive approaches to Health Education, I took on a new role at Simon Fraser University as a Health Promotion Specialist. During my four years at SFU, I was fortunate to be involved in a number of innovative projects. I was part of research team that investigated how teaching practices contribute to psychosocial wellbeing and learning. I developed and led the “Wellbeing through Physical Spaces” project at SFU which focused on enhancing health through the built environment. One of my most memorable experiences was being part of the team that co-hosted the 2015 International Conference for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges and being involved in the development of the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges.

What do you do in HR?

I joined the HR team in July 2017 in the newly created role of Workplace Wellbeing Strategist. In my role, I meet and partner with different faculties, departments and units to provide support in taking strategic, evidence-based action to foster healthy and supportive work environments. Together, we identify strengths, challenges and opportunities for action within the unique context of the faculty, department or unit to support wellbeing within the workplace.

Part of my role also entails increasing awareness of all the fantastic resources provided through HR that are available to support workplace wellbeing by addressing issues such as career transition, change management, and enhancing leadership skills and competencies. One of my favourite things about my role is getting to meet with diverse and wonderful people from across UBC. It is truly inspiring to connect with staff, faculty and those in leadership positions who care deeply about fostering wellbeing within their working and learning environments.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Most of my free time is spent with my husband, dogs, family and friends. I love travelling, running and winter sports. I am also a bit of a thrill seeker. I’ve done zip lining, paragliding, bungee jumping and skydiving, and I would do them all again!